Falco Di Signora
by AnimeAmber17
Summary: Adopted from Kolchaksghost. Esme/Bella
1. Chapter 1

**Falco di Signora**

Ch. 1: History and Folklore

Eleazar Denali sat at his desk by the lectern and watched as students began to fill the lecture hall. The Spanish vampire glanced briefly at the attendance sheet but paused when he noticed a familiar name: Esme Cullen. The Dr. Carlisle Cullen and his brood was the only other coven of vampires, besides his own, that valued human life and only fed from animals. He and Carmen had first met Carlisle in the 17th Century, when he was still young to this life.

The blonde Englishman had been proud of the fact that he never tasted human blood and found an alternative. We found it an odd choice at the time but wished him well in his quest for knowledge and reluctantly directed him towards the Volturi. At the time, I prayed that the younger vampire would not get corrupted by Aro. He thanked us and explained he wanted to see Venice and Rome before continuing on to Volterra. Not two days later, he and his mate found their coven.

_*Minsk – 1673*_

_Carmen and Eleazar had parted company with the strange vampire, Carlisle Cullen, and headed east. The Plague of Immortal Children that had threatened to expose the existence of vampires to the human world had all but ended. The couple had spent most of that turbulent time living in a secluded cottage and wanted to explore now that the brunt of the trouble was over. The main reason for their hermitage was that Eleazar had not wanted to cross paths with his former Master or members of the Guard._

_A hawk's cry alerted them of trouble some thirteen miles from their destination of Minsk. They cautiously entered a clearing and found Aro and the majority of the Volturi Guard surrounding another coven. Eleazar noted that five of his former comrades held three of the coven to the side. Aro and the rest faced the raven haired female leader who held an unearthly child in her arms. He also mentally filed away the fact that the other members of the coven were female as well; one was reddish-blonde, another pale blonde and the third was a curly haired honey-blonde._

"_Sasha of Minsk, you are guilty of creating an Immortal Child. You and your coven are sentenced to final death," Aro intoned without any emotion Sasha held her head high but the women gasped at the pronouncement._

"_Kill me and my little one if you must but leave my daughters be, they knew nothing of the child," Sasha countered stoically._

_Aro ignored her then gave the nod to Guards near her a nod. A loud groaning sound filled the clearing as they tore Sasha and the child to pieces then lit them on fire. Eleazar flashed down to the three captured vampires, sword in hand. It was the only thing from his time of service that he kept all these years. There was a time when every member of the Guard carried one. The blades had been tempered with vampire venom during the forging process. Several growls escaped from the assembled vampires._

"_The one that was called Sasha said these three are innocent, Aro. Your power could prove that but know this, the first one to attempt to destroy these women without cause shall die by my hand," the former Captain of the Guard spoke with a voice filled with menace._

_Eleazar watched as the members of the Guard crouched into fighting stances. Their eyes were filled with a longing to inflict pain and do violence. The Spaniard realized that in the centuries since he had served, the vaunted Volturi Guard had become nothing but pack of jackals. Only the current Captain, his protégé – Felix, still carried a sword. The other vampire drew his blade then gave a salute to his former mentor and smiled before sheathing the weapon._

"_It is good to see you again, Captain," Felix called out merrily but before he could cross the distance and embrace Eleazar, the movement of two smaller figures in cloaks a shade lighter than the ancients made him stop._

"_Yes, dear friend, it is good to see you again," Aro commented with false joy. The members of the Guard straightened when he walked over to stand in front of him._

_Eleazar moved before his former master could touch his exposed flesh. Instead, the hand landed on one of the three remaining prisoners. The King's face blanked as his head was filled with every thought and memory of the girl. Aro's features returned to their normal state then he repeated the process with the other two. His disappointment was obvious when he turned back toward the others._

"_It seems that the renegade had been correct. These three are innocent of any wrong doing my dear ones," he commented then turned to ask, "Katarina, your power would be an excellent addition to my Guard. Would you consider a place among us?"_

"_Never," the curly haired blonde hissed. Aro merely shrugged then motioned for the others to leave._

"_Thank you for your help," the reddish-blonde vampire said to Eleazar when the last of the Volturi had vanished into the trees. Carmen had made her way over to stand by his side._

"_I could do no less. My name is Eleazar and this is my mate, Carmen," the ex-soldier replied._

The vampire smiled as he remembered how his lovely wife eventually convinced the three sisters to join them in their travels. His smile broadened when Esme walked shyly into the hall and take a seat in the front row. A few minutes later, all the seats were filled and Eleazar got up from his chair and took up a position behind the lectern.

"Good evening, class. I'm Professor Denali and this is Myth and Folklore in Anthropology," the Spaniard greeted his students. He picked up a stack of syllabi from his desk then handed them to one of the students to pass out.

"As most of you already know, unlike Archeology – which examines the physical remains of a people, or Sociology – which studies the societies they create, Anthropology is the study of the evolution of a people's culture. Myth and folklore play an important role in that process…," Eleazar continued then for the remainder of the class let his mind drift through various legends of his own race and how they started. In particular, the legend of the Falco di Signora, which was of special importance to his family.

_*Volterra, Italy – 1040 A.D.*_

_Aro sat on his throne, eyes dancing with cruel delight, while the girl screamed as she was forced to watch her love burned at the stake. Never, in all the years the Volturi had ruled the vampire race and the night, had such cruelty been tolerated within the city walls – let alone the castle itself. The usually indifferent Marcus gazed sadly at the still screaming girl; Caius looked on with his usual disdain. The wives, Sulpicia and Athenadora, along with all but one member of the fabled Volturi Guard watched the scene with horror. Only the Spaniard, Eleazar, Captain of the Guard and Aro's right hand, knew the truth of the matter and viewed the travesty through a haze of shame._

_The raising of Aro's hand had been the silent command to douse the flames and remove the charred remains they held. Another gesture and the human girl that replaced screams with sobs was dragged before the dais that held the thrones of the three Kings. The girl never once begged for her life but stood defiantly before the Ancients when her arms were released. Aro flashed down to her and slapped her with enough force to snap her head back but not break any bones. Her mouth was bloody when she looked back at the monster that was responsible for her pain then spit the precious fluid in his face._

_Aro smacked her a second time then called upon the long forgotten blood magic of his ancestors to lay a terrible curse on the human. The air filled with eldritch power then after it settled on its intended victim, the young one was dragged from the castle and tossed outside the City Gates. Any vampires that had been unfortunate enough to be visiting were summarily executed so that news of Aro's actions never left the castle walls._

_Eleazar paced back and forth in his private chambers while his new mate, Carmen, watched him with concern. It was obvious to her that he was struggling with something but chose to wait until he was ready to talk instead of prying. She knew her mate had been agitated for more than a month but the events of earlier acerbated the situation. He stopped midstride then ordered her to pack up their belongings then fled from the room in search of his Masters. He found them in the recently cleaned throne room._

"_Eleazar, why are you not enjoying the company of your mate," Aro enquired the second his senses registered the other vampire's presence._

"_I came to inform you that Carmen and I are leaving," he informed the three vampires that lounged upon their thrones._

"_That is understandable, your mate has not been happy in our home for some time. You have served me… us well. Go in peace," the central figure replied and Eleazar spun on his heel then started toward the door._

"_So much for your precious honor," Caius sneered before the retreating vampire could exit._

"_I have no honor, it was destroyed this morning. There will come a time when the sins of this day will revisit Aro. When they do, my sword will not be there to protect him. May God have mercy upon his soul for I never shall? Farewell, my lords," Eleazar retorted over his shoulder never breaking his stride. The ash grey cloak fell from him and there was a small clank as the Volturi Crest that held it place hit the floor. The show of disrespect for the two badges of honor was not lost on the three kings._

_Carmen had finished packing the few things that mattered and waited for her mate to return. She heard the rhythm of his footsteps half a second before his scent reached her and she had the door open before he arrived. Eleazar kissed her tenderly then, without a word, the two vampires gathered their things and left the castle. Three miles from the city walls, the two Spanish vampires found the human girl curled into a ball on the forest floor sobbing. Their undead hearts went out to the younger woman and the comforted her as best they could. The maelstrom of emotions had been too much for her and she drifted into an exhausted but uneasy sleep while her benefactors puzzled over the minor aspects of the curse that had be laid upon her. As the first light of the rising sun glimmered on the horizon, the full effect became evident._


	2. Chapter 2

**Falco di Signora**

Ch. 2: Esme

EPOV (Esme)

My family and I had moved into our new home last night; thanks to vampire speed, we were completely unpacked with nothing else to do. Denali, Alaska was very different from the suburbs of Chicago but after almost eight years in the Windy City, the family had to move because people had started to get suspicious. This place was chosen for a few reasons but I was just happy we were all together. The first was the ample wildlife in the National Park and surrounding area. The next had been the number of cloudy days and finally, this house was five miles away from our extended family – the Denali Coven.

It wasn't long before I realized that I was alone in our spacious living as all the couples were ensconced in their rooms doing the "Mated Thing." Rosalie and Emmett were the worst because no amount of soundproofing was able to block out the noises they made as they went at it like rabbits. Carlisle, our father figure, and Edward were the second worst. While not as loud as the former pair, their sexual endeavors were no less destructive. Alice and Jasper might've been the quietest of the three mated pairs but my middle brother was an empath which meant that it was only a matter of time during one of their romps before he lost control of his gift then projected their lust onto everyone, which only increased to veracity of other pairs' activities.

I quickly grabbed my I-pod, sketch pad and chalk sticks then flashed out the door as fast as my vampire speed allowed. The direction that I'd gone had been random and I only stopped after an estimated ten miles. I found myself in a small clearing with a pond; a medium sized boulder sat close to the waters edge and made a perfect perch. Without thinking, I found myself cross-legged on top of the rock, sketchpad and charcoal sticks in my lap as I waited for the dawn while I got lost in the music. My mind drifted to thoughts of my family and I wasn't able to suppress the sigh that slipped out.

Carlisle was the oldest having been changed at 23 over 300 years ago. He changed Edward in 1918 when he was 17. The next member of the family was Rose, our father changed her after he found her beaten and raped when she was 19 in 1935. She had come across Emmett, two years later, while he was being mauled by a bear then carried him over a hundred miles and asked Carlisle to save him. The overgrown teddy bear was 22 when he was changed. I was literally the baby of the family, I'd been a stupid 16 year-old tomboy that fallen out of a tall oak tree that I'd been dared to climb. If I'd fallen off the other side then I'd have escaped with merely a broken arm. Unfortunately, for me, the tree had stood on the edge of a cliff and I fell off the side with long drop. My body had been broken up pretty bad when I'd hit the rocks below. They had thought I was dead and taken me straight to the morgue but Carlisle had been there and heard a faint heartbeat. He begged my forgiveness after I'd woke up from the change and told me he just couldn't let me die. I'd never been angry that he'd made that choice.

Alice and Jasper had been adopted into the family in the early 1950's. She'd been changed at 18 but wasn't able to remember anything from before she finished the change. Jazz was 22 when he was changed during the Civil War and was the second oldest member of our family. The psychic pixie and empathic ex-soldier had taken it upon themselves to help me find a mate of my own, much to my eternal annoyance.

I'd been so lost in memories of my family and all the good times we'd had that, it was dawn before I knew it. The beauty of the sunrise coming over the tops of the trees had me drawing automatically. By mid-morning, the entire sketchpad was filled and I decided to wander through the woods. The screeching of a hawk drew my attention skyward and I quickly located the graceful fowl. I watched with delight as the bird rode the air currents in a graceful dance. The peace was shattered by the sound of a rifle shot and the majestic hawk screamed as it fell from the sky.

My eyes followed the bird's trajectory and I raced off in that direction. The bird never hit the ground but regained enough control to land on a tree branch. I noticed blood on its side from where the bullet had grazed it and knew whoever had taken the shot was going to be on the way to finish the job. I removed the flannel shirt that I'd been wearing then used it as a guard and tried to coax the injured hawk from its perch. It wasn't a necessary precaution because the talons would never be able to hurt me but habit. The bird landed on my outstretched arm then I tucked it into my chest and headed off toward home as fast as I dared so the animal wouldn't get spooked.

The rest of my family had been coming home from a hunt when I broke through the trees that ringed our backyard. Carlisle was by my side in an instant while Alice rushed inside then came back with supplies to treat the hawk's wound.

"We heard the gunshot and saw the bird fall, I knew you would be on your way back home," my father explained as we went over to my workbench and aerie.

Being vampires meant that we had an eternity to pursue all of our interests as well as any new ones we might've discovered along the way. Ever since I was a little girl, I'd loved birds – especially birds of prey. After I was changed, I devoured everything I could on ornithology. Then while we lived in England, I fell in love with medieval history. One of my professors introduced me to falconry, a hobby that seemed to tie the two interests into one. I raised and trained various predatory birds. After the first Harry Potter movie came out, my siblings bought me a snow owl but laughed at me when I named him Bubo for the mechanical owl in the original Clash of the Titans.

I placed the hawk, which I finally noticed was female, on my workbench then held out a hand and Alice gave me the first aid gear. It hadn't taken long to clean and dress the wound. I marveled at how docile the bird was while I worked. Once the dressing was in place, the majestic creature gave a soft cry then flew off. I turned to go inside and get cleaned off and get ready for my first day of classes at the nearby college; my brothers and sisters were gaping after the hawk. They looked silly so I giggled as I brushed past them.

The six of us arrived at the school but we weren't as early as we normally are because Edward just had to make sure Carlisle was serviced before he went to the hospital for his shift. I wasn't the only one that shuddered when the bronze haired vampire joined us in the car as he wiped his lips. _Maybe I should get him some knee pads for Christmas,_ I wondered as Emmett drove and nearly gagged on images of exactly how much Eddie would enjoy such a gift were seared into my brain.

"Eww, don't you dare get those for him," Alice demanded of me as one of her visions matched what I'd just thought.

"Spoilsport," Edward replied after he read our sister's thoughts then stuck his tongue out at her.

"Do we even want to know," Rose asked with trepidation.

."NO," Alice and I shouted together and the others let the subject drop except for Eddie who pouted for the rest of the drive.

Like the others, I had only signed up for six classes; three on Monday, Wednesday and Friday then the other three on Tuesday and Thursday. My first two classes had flown by and I was now in my last class, which was being taught by Eleazar Denali – the leader of the Denali Coven. He was one of those teachers that made the subject come alive and I was more than a little sad when the class ended but I knew my family was going to visit his later, so I thought I might ask him some questions then.

The drive home was full of the usual bickering and as soon as we reached the house, I jumped out then went around back to play with Bubo. As soon as Carlisle returned home and changed, we ran off to the Denali house. They were waiting for us on the front porch when we arrived and seemed nervous. It was easy to figure out why because there was a human heartbeat coming from upstairs. Hesitantly, the Denali's greeted us then led us inside to the living room.

"As you no doubt can hear, we have another member of our little family upstairs but I felt it would be in all of our best interests if she remained upstairs for now, it is not intended to offer offense," Eleazar commented after we'd all found seats.

"No offense taken, old friend, I would be doing the same if I were in your shoes," Carlisle replied sincerely.

It had been at least forty years since our two families had seen each other so a couple of hours were spent catching up. When the conversation turned to how we were settling in and this morning, all the Denali's shared a look then Carmen stood up with an expression of mild panic.

"ISABELLA MARIE DENALI, GET DOWN HERE THIS INSTANT," the Spanish female yelled and most of us flinched at her tone.

The source of the mysterious heartbeat, a 17 year-old girl, marched down the steps then over to distraught vampire. Anyone could see that the girl was beautiful, even by vampire standards. She was slender but tone and perfectly proportioned with long mahogany hair that had natural red highlights. Her heart shaped face held Cupid's bow lips, a delicate nose and chocolate colored eyes that had fleck of gold in their depths. She was dressed in yoga pants and fitted tank top that had a slight bulge on her left side.

"Why did you not tell us about the hunters? Let me see," Carmen demanded but the girl shook her head in refusal then her artist's fingers began to dance in rapid patterns in the air.

The vampire wasn't deterred and demanded more forcefully, "I am your mother, now show me!"

With a put upon sigh and a martyred expression, the younger woman lifted they tank top and revealed a gauze covered wound. The other Denali girls crowded around their sister as Carmen peeled away the bandage to examine the injury. Not being slow on the uptake, my family and I connected all the dots and realized that based on the wound and what the Denali matriarch had said, this girl was the hawk that I'd treated earlier today.

My father turned to Eleazar with a questioning gaze and Spaniard sighed then spoke, "You lived in Volterra for a while my friend; surely you must know who my daughter, Isabella, is by now."

"I have never met your daughter before and the only humans allowed inside the castle walls when I lived there were food. Who is she," Carlisle shot back defensively.

"She is the Falco di Signora, Carlisle, the Falco di Signora," the other man whispered and Carlisle stared at Isabella in shock, which made her blush.

"Titles don't mean anything to me, so whose the broad," Emmett asked then winced when Rose smacked him in the back of his head.

The other women finished fussing over the human and directed her to sit between Carmen and her mate. For a brief moment, as we waited for the explanation, Isabella's eyes locked on mine and I noticed pain, sadness and something else flicker within them. Eleazar took a deep breath then let it out slowly and we all focused on him. Something told me that this story was going to change everything.


	3. Chapter 3

**Falco di Signora**

Ch. 3: Tragic Tale

EPOV (Esme)

"It began in the spring of 1040, when I was still Captain of the Volturi Guard. Isabella was the daughter of a minor noble that owed fealty to the Volturi. After dealing with a rogue vampire in the area, I checked up on her father's estate and met her for the first time. Because of my gift, I knew that she would be a powerful shield. Unfortunately, Aro discovered this when he touched my hand upon my return to the castle. He ordered that she be brought to Volterra to live and be trained for her new life as a vampire. A contingent of Guard was sent out and returned with Isabella a few days later.

"She was not the only human that Aro had sequestered in the castle because of the gift they would bring over into their second life. A girl named Esmeralda was the other and the two shared a room. Both young women were taught vampire history and law but their instructors secretly went one step further by teaching them to read and write. From the moment the two met they shared a bond. Over time, that bond became unbreakable and blossomed into true love. You can image what a love like that would have meant if they were discovered, they would have been executed.

"I was the only one that Aro trusted to keep them safe and one day when I went to take them to their lessons, I found them in a lover's embrace. They were afraid but even I could see their love was pure and true. After promising to keep their secret, they relaxed and we all went about our business for the day. I was summoned to a meeting with the three kings later that evening and I learned an awful truth, while Aro had been intrigued by Isabella's potential, the real reason he had her brought to the castle was to make her his mate. I stood there in shock but Marcus spoke out against the idea and told his brother that he wasn't the human girl's mate.

"Aro refused to listen. Instead, he demanded proof and scoffed until he touched Marcus and read his memories. Even then, the fool refused to believe the truth. He proclaimed that until he met Isabella's mate, his plans would go forward. To my eternal shame, I betrayed the girls' trust and told Aro everything I had seen and learned. He cleared the room but asked that I remain behind. He told me that there was trouble in England, rumors that Children of the Moon had attacked a small coven on the moors. I was to take two others and go investigate the claim. After noticing my hesitance, the king assured me that he meant no harm to the girls he had placed in my charge.

"The trip had been a ruse but it had brought Carmen into my life. When we reached Volterra, I learned the horrible truth. Not two hours after my party had departed the city gates, Aro ordered Esmeralda to be thrown into the dungeon. Isabella was forced to watch as her beloved was tortured and raped every day. Outraged, I confronted Aro in the throne room. The bastard had the gall to justify his action by telling me in front of the entire Guard that when he touched Esmeralda, he saw that she was secretly working for the Romanians.

"For the month that followed my return, the brutality continued despite my protests. Eventually, Aro called a gathering and Isabella was forced to watch with the rest of us while he had her love burned at the stake. Then he cursed the object of his obsession for her rejection of him. The two obvious aspects of the curse were that she spoke in gibberish so that nobody would understand her and that she transformed into a hawk during the day. The subtle aspects were that she was immortal and denied the hawk's ability to mate for life. Aro wanted her doomed to an eternity of being alone.

"Carmen and I left Volterra that evening and found our Bella in the woods. While the curse affected her speech it did nothing to her writing. We would later learn that exception extended to sign language as well. She was the first of our daughters. A hundred years ago, Marcus secretly came to visit us. When he looked at Bella, he smiled then told us that a vampire with the gift of knowing had recently been in Volterra. This rather impish man informed Aro that the sins of his past would be revealed and the Lady Hawk set free. Before he left with his mate, Marcus asked if he knew anything else but the other man just smiled and said that all would be revealed in time," Eleazar told us and my father and brothers growled at the Volturi's treachery while me, my mother and sister sobbed for both poor girls.

Halfway through the story, Bella had gone outside to stand on the back porch. Without thinking, I found myself next to her. My body was not my own and I was shocked when I pulled the brunette beauty, that I just noticed had been crying, into my arms. Our bodies fit perfectly together and I found myself getting jealous that her true love had been reborn because it felt right to have her in my arms. It felt like an electrical current ran between us and I wasn't able to fight the intense gravitational pull of her eyes when they looked into mine. My lips caressed hers then my body went into shock as something unexpected happened.


	4. Chapter 4

**Falco di Signora**

Ch. 4: Memories

EPOV (Esme)

The second our lips touched, two things happened at once. First, an electrical shock passed between us and went straight to my heart. Second, something in my brain snapped and memories that were somehow mine, and yet not, flooded my mind. I gasped in shock and pain at the assault of images then collapsed onto the deck while my hands clutched at my head.

_*Memories*_

I sat in the window of the stone chamber at the top of one of the castle towers. The nobles, knights and ladies that called this place home were all vampires. The three kings that ruled the night had kept me here for the past month but had yet to tell me what they wanted of me. It had become obvious that it was not for a meal otherwise, I would have been dead many times over. My family had not been so lucky; one of the vampires that had been sent to get me killed them then drank their blood in front of me when my father refused to let them take me. I was lost in my mental wanderings as I gazed out at the countryside below and failed to hear the thick wooden door to my chamber open.

The sound of a heavy trunk being dropped by the far wall drew me from me reverie and I turned to find a vampire retreat through the door before he closed it. A petite girl in an elegant gown and long rich brown hair had been left behind. She was taking in the room but had not seen me yet. My heart skipped a beat when she looked at me with her captivating chocolate eyes. Her beauty was breathtaking and rivaled that of any of the vampires, male or female, that I had seen since I had been here.

"Hello, my name is Isabella. I was told I would be staying here," the other girl greeted.

"Welcome, I am Esmeralda. It is good to finally have some company," I replied honestly then hopped down from my perch and pulled the other girl into a hug. Isabella stiffened slightly then relaxed into my embrace.

Isabella looked bewitching as she played the harp in the corner of our room. I watched her silently, lost in the spell of the music. Not long after her arrival, King Aro had us taken to the throne room and explained that we were to be trained for our new lives as vampires. We had just finished with our morning lessons and were patiently waiting for lunch to be delivered. Our mothers had taught each of us the basics for being a Lady of breeding. The vampires wanted to expand on that as well as assure that we were ready for Immortality. Hassan, our teacher, was a Moorish vampire and an unrelenting taskmaster.

The two months since Isabella's arrival had changed my life for the better. We had grown closer by the day and I was unable to image my life without her in it. With but a single look, she was able to make my heart skip a beat, stomach flutter and breath hitch. Recently, I had found the urge to touch her alabaster skin unbearable. Dinner arrived and we ate the roasted lamb with vegetables in tense silence. A storm rolled in just before we finished with our afternoon lessons with the Moor. As it worsened by the hour, my companion grew increasingly pensive. Finally, the other girl admitted that she was afraid of storms.

We were huddled together under the blankets as I tried to sooth Isabella enough to go to sleep. Part of me marveled over how right it felt to hold her in my arms because we fit together perfectly. I was rubbing circles on her back when her fear filled eyes looked into mine and silently begged me to make everything better. Unbidden by me, my lips brushed hers then after a moment of shock, she deepened the kiss. Between kisses, our hands explored each other's bodies over our night clothes. What started out tentatively blossomed into passion.

Our guard, Eleazar, found us sleeping in a naked tangle when he came to escort us to our morning lessons. At first, the two of us were scandalized but he told us that he would keep our secret and was happy for us.

Eleazar had come and said goodbye because he was being sent on a mission. My Bella and I were embroidering in our chamber when the door was kicked in. King Aro and several of the guards rushed in then dragged us down to the dungeon. One of the vampires locked me into shackles that were mounted on a stout table. My clothes were torn from my body and the woman that had stolen my heart was forced to watch as the ancient vampire had me tortured. After hours of pain, the malicious king took delight in violating me.

Aro was only the first to use me. I lost track of the days as I was continually tortured. The only time it stopped was when one or more of the evil demons raped me or I passed out. All the while, Isabella screamed for them to stop as she was made to watch. Eventually, the day came when we were taken to the throne room for judgment. The last thing I saw was Aro smiling as I was consigned to the flames while my love's wails echoed through the chamber. The pain of the fire burning and eating away my flesh was unbearable but it had taken twenty minutes before death finally claimed me.

_*End Memories*_

I screamed as the phantom flames devoured me then came back to reality surrounded by my family and the Denali's. My head was pillowed on something soft and the sound of a steady heart beat was loud in my ears as warm fingers trailed soothingly through my hair. I realized that my body was lying on the floor with my head in Bella's lap. It was her fingers that combed through my hair, her face masked with concern.

"_Isabella, my love, I have found you at last,"_ I whispered to the brunette in perfect medieval Italian. There were gasps from the Denali's before my long lost love crashed her lips back into mine passionately.

Everything else was forgotten as the two of us lost ourselves in that kiss. A throat cleared and brought us out of our private bubble. We shared identical looks of embarrassment as we turned to look at the vampires crowded around us. I noticed my siblings had confused looks on their faces but my father and the Denali's smiled with understanding. It was Emmett that broke the other Cullen's from their confusion.

"What the hell is going on," the mountainous vampire demanded while our brothers and sisters nodded at the question.

"Esme is the reincarnation our Bella's lost love," Carmen shot back as she helped me to my feet. The cursed human still kept a hand around my waist.

My family stared in shock as the motherly Denali led us back inside. More memories of my previous life kept trying to flood my consciousness and I fought to stay focused on the here and now. Bella sensed my inner turmoil and guided me upstairs to her room until I got a handle on everything and I was ready to face the others. A loud noise filled her room and it had taken me a few minutes to realize that I was sobbing. She sat me on her bed then held me while I continued to break down. All the years of loneliness joined with the memories of my past life and overwhelmed me.


	5. Chapter 5

**Falco di Signora**

Ch. 5: Instincts and Prophecies

EPOV (Esme)

My emotional tumult was coming to an end, being surrounded by Bella's arms and scent had worked wonders to calm me down. As my multi-faceted vampire mind finally got a handle on the past life memories and separated them from my current ones, the scent that had been soothing before was suddenly making it difficult to think. It wasn't long before the monster inside of me started to claw its way to the surface, unbeknownst to the beauty that comforted me. Her slender fingers that gently scratched my scalp were what put me over the edge.

My inner monster won the internal battle then slipped from its mental shackles and broke free. I actually felt my eyes turn onyx black from lust and the need to claim my mate in every way. For a full minute I pulled her scent deep into my lungs then I licked along the length of her clavicle, up her neck and around the shell of her ear before I sucked and nibbled on her delicious earlobe. At first, she moaned softly but the volume increased after my hands worked their way under her shirt, tore away her bra and rolled her hardening nipples. Esme's heart pounded and her throbbing jugular combined with the scent of her arousal had me completely unhinged. My mouth closed around the pulsating vein but just as my teeth were about to sink into her thin flesh, multiple pairs of strong hands yanked me away from my mate.

A cry of frustration mixed with fury and desperation clawed its way from my throat. Obsidian eyes filled with need and longing searched frantically for Esme and only after they found her had I allowed myself to stop fighting then be pulled from the room. That last image was going to be forever burned into my memory, much to my eternal shame; my mate, the other half of my soul, had been shaking in fear as she stared at me with a horrified expression.

It had been my three brothers that had pulled me out of the room and out the backdoor. The boys only released me after we were well into the forest. _I almost forced myself onto my mate, _I chanted over and over again in my head as I ran as fast and as far away as my vampire legs were able to carry me. I was in the middle of nowhere when I finally collapsed to the ground then started to sob uncontrollably.

The early rays of dawn glinted off my skin and I realized just how long that I'd been gone but I wasn't able to bring myself to return home. A hawk's cry drifted down from the sky above where I wallowed in misery and shame. The magnificent bird of prey swooped down then pecked me on the forehead before she alighted on a low hanging branch. It actually stung a little bit and I rubbed the sore spot as I turned to look at the pissed off fowl. A piece of paper wrapped around a wooden dole fell from one set of her talons and the bird cocked her head as she waited for me to pick it up. The hawk squawked because I wasn't moving fast enough. I picked up the impromptu scroll and read the note before I ended up getting pecked again.

_My Esme,_

_Pull your head out of your ass! I've been waiting centuries for you to find me again and I wanted to claim you just as much as you wanted to claim me. It was the intensity of my emotions that freaked me out, not you. We both need to realize that at some point during our first time, those instincts are going to kick in but I want that first time to be as gentle and loving as possible before that happens. Unlike last night, where we both jumped into the deep end. Now, dust yourself off and get your juicy ass back home because the parentals want to talk to both of us after sunset._

_XOXO,_

_Your Bella_

I read and re-read the note a few times under the impatient gaze of Bellahawk because it took time for my emotionally addled brain to comprehend the meaning of the words. Once I truly understood what I'd just read, my mouth twisted up in a silly grin. My mate's bird form flew off in the direction of home and I flashed through the forest below her. Despite my enhanced speed, the metamorphosed girl beat me back. She must of known that I wanted to take a shower and change because she perched upon the windowsill of my bedroom instead of flying back to her own house.

Thankfully, the house was empty because my siblings were at school while our father was on shift at the hospital. I turned on my laptop as I breezed through my room putting together a new outfit; it was shocking Alice hadn't already had something waiting on my bed for me. After my clothes were assembled, the computer was ready so I logged onto our wireless home network then sent a quick e-mail to Eleazar apologizing for my absence and that I would see him at the Denali house later. Leaving the machine on, I flitted off to the bathroom for a quick shower after I opened the window for Bella to fly inside. The shower was over before I knew it then I was dressed and back at the computer with my mate perched on my shoulder with her head cocked to the side. Eventually, we'd head out back and play with Bubo but for the moment the two of us surfed the net so that I could shop for some new clothes. She would squawk whenever I came across an outfit she liked.

Online shopping lasted for about an hour and I noticed that many of the choices Bella liked were a bit on the revealing side. I had a nagging suspicion that they were more for her enjoyment than comfort on my part but I felt an uncontrollable urge to make her happy so I ordered the outfits. All in all, I spent a total of $300 and had five new outfits; a certain pixie sister of mine would've taken all day at as many malls as she could force me into and I would've ended up with a closet full of crap I would never wear unless I was forced to. This was something the tiny terror has done on a regular basis since joining the family.

Playtime with my owl was fun but ended too quickly for my liking. Bella flew off in the direction of her home just before my brothers and sisters got back from school. Once the sun had set, she'd be her normal self again and no doubt wanted a relaxing bath before the Inquisition started. I pointed ignored the others as they tramped through the house searching for me. They caught my scent and knew I was feeding Bubo but left me be, or at least that's what I thought. A throat cleared behind me and I jumped a little before I turned around to find my big sister.

"We were all worried about you," Rose stated bluntly but her expression was soft and she held her arms open. Less than a second passed before I flew into her arms and I felt one of her hands as it stroked my hair. We staid like that until it was time for me to head over to the Denali's.

BPOV

I sat at the dining room table with my parents while we waited for Carlisle, Edward and Esme to arrive and my mind replayed the chaos of the last twenty-four hours. First, I was shot by some piece of shit poacher. Next, I was rescued and my wound tended to by a beautiful girl that looked so much like my lost Esmeralda. Then I find out that not only is she my mate but the re-incarnation of my lost love and we nearly gave into some intense instinct thing; only to have her pulled away before we'd gotten to the good stuff. That was a good thing, I supposed, but my mate misinterpreted my expression then ran off which caused me to collapse with near crippling pain in my chest. Somehow, despite the pain, I was able to write a note before I became my bird self. I grabbed the note in my talons then flew off in the direction of some weird pull but the good thing about that was that the closer I got to my unknown destination, the less pain I felt.

Our guests arrived and I caught a brief glimpse of my sisters' heads poke out from the kitchen where they'd hidden to eavesdrop on the conversation. The Cullen patriarch and his mate had taken up seats next to Carmen and Eleazar while Esme sat in the chair next to mine. Heat and electricity crackled in the space between us and the next thing I knew, I was in the caramel haired vampire's lap ravaging her neck with butterfly kisses. The need to be even closer to her dominated my every thought and my hands started to remove the infuriating material that separated us but this time I was the one that was dragged away by my father with hers kept a restraining hand on her shoulder. The two of us were forced into chairs on opposite sides of the table across from each other but I whimpered at the distance. Tanya, Kate and Irina barely stifled their giggles at the spectacle.

The first part of the conversation that followed after a stern look from the combined parentals made us pay attention. Carlisle was the one that got the ball rolling as it were. He explained vampire mating in a very clinical manner. Esme and I nodded along as he talked about the three bites and how the mating pull affected non-vampires whenever the pair was apart.

_I already guessed the pain part, asshole. The next time my mate so much as thinks about doing a rabbit impersonation, I'll get my sisters to chain her ass to a wall or something. _Having Succubus sisters that were into serious kink never seemed like it would pay off but now it was a God send._ Hmm… maybe I could get Tanya to hook Esme up to that vampire-proof adjustable St. Andrew's cross in the basement. Then, not only would my mate be unable to run away but I'd get to have my wicked way with her without suffering any negative consequences._

I leaned back slightly and glanced at the kitchen to look at Tanya, who winked at me, then quickly blanked my expression before Mom or Dad noticed anything. The only downside to being a mute for centuries was that the members of my family learned how to "read my thoughts" because they played out in my facial expressions and basically made me an open book to them. I blushed when the others glared at me for not paying attention.

Once my full attention was back on the discussion, Dad added, "I spoke with Marcus today in between classes and told him about everything that happened; he then told me that Peter, the vampire with the gift of knowing, sent him a letter with what amounted to a prophecy. The letter stated that on the day without night and night without day, when the streets of Volterra ran scarlet, the Falco di Signora and her reborn mate would stand before the thrones of the vampire kings. Her curse would be broken for all time and Aro's tyranny would end. After consulting an astronomical calendar, Marcus believes the letter refers to the solar eclipse that will take place this coming St. Marcus' Day."

After dropping that bombshell, Dad, Mom and Carlisle excused themselves for a few minutes and went out into the woods to talk in private while Edward stayed behind to babysit us. Ten minutes later, the "adults" filed back into the house and rejoined us at the table. The two men shared a look then silently gave the floor to my mother.

"The three of us have decided that in order to blunt some of the instincts you both are suffering from at the moment, we are going to permit Esme to give the First Bite tomorrow; supervised, of course. However, we believe that it would be best for you to complete the mating process after St. Marcus' Day. Because having sex would only lead to increasing the urge to complete your mating, you will only be allowed to be alone with each other while Bella is in hawk form. There will be at least one chaperone with you at all other times," Mom's Castilian accented voice intoned and Esme gasped in shock.

_Crazy Momma says what?! St. Marcus' Day corresponds roughly to college Spring Break and the Fall semester just started. There's no way in hell that I'm waiting anywhere near six months to be with my mate. I've already waited too many centuries for this and there's no fucking way I'm going to be denied now._

"ISABELLA MARIE DENALI, DON'T YOU DARE BACK TALK ME," the Latin beauty yelled at me and at the confusion in the eyes of my mate and future in-laws she explained about how I was an open book. Edward, the mind reader, stared at me but seemed to be even more frustrated because he still wasn't able to "read" my thoughts.

**The next chapter shouldn't be too long as I already have an idea and don't usually stop writing til I finish a chapter. Til next time!**


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